Accredited Online Criminal Justice Degrees

Online Criminal Justice Degrees

Do you have the desire to work in the industry of law enforcement? Do you aspire to help right the wrongs that take place in our society every day? Maybe you should think about pursuing a career in criminal justice; this would allow you the opportunity to work as a probation officer, a detective, a police officer, or a correctional officer. It is important to note that because the field of criminal justice is so broad, it will likely serve you well to choose an area of concentration. For instance, you could choose to focus your studies on a law enforcement aspect or on the social services end of the spectrum. If you end up working as a probation officer you will be in charge of supervising people who have been placed on probation.
However, as a correctional officer you will be responsible for watching over individuals who are in jail. Should you end up working as a correctional treatment specialist you will be in charge of creating plans of rehabilitation for individuals when they are on parole. Keep in mind, the roles of these three occupations often overlap in the real world. Should you decide to pursue the law enforcement end you should be prepared to possibly need more specific training for the area that you choose to follow. For instance, as a police officer you can choose to specialize to work as a harbor police. Find the best criminal justice degree programs below.

Criminal Justice Colleges

It is most common for individuals to pursue a Bachelor of Science degree with a concentration in criminal justice, which will provide students with a solid knowledge of the basic fundamentals of our judicial system. As previously mentioned, you can choose an area of concentration based on the specific area you plan to work within; this choice will influence the courses that are required. Within this four year course of study you can expect to take classes such as criminal justice ethics, crime and criminology, judicial process, juvenile justice and delinquency, criminal law, introduction to policing, research methods and statistics, and introduction to corrections. Take a moment and check out the schools shown on the site; if you see any that particularly interest you request that they send you a free information packet. With your formal training or degree program in criminal justice there are many avenues that you can choose to pursue. For instance, within the law enforcement spectrum you could choose to work as a game warden or as an officer who specializes in handwriting identification. The employment possibilities are quite numerous will your degree in this broad field of study. Be sure to read about all the possibilities for your criminal justice career.

Online Criminal Justice Degree Programs

Do you have the desire to work in the industry of law enforcement? Do you aspire to help right the wrongs that take place in our society every day? Maybe you should think about pursuing a career in criminal justice; this would allow you the opportunity to work as a probation officer, a detective, a police officer, or a correctional officer. It is important to note that because the field of criminal justice is so broad, it will likely serve you well to choose an area of concentration. For instance, you could choose to focus your studies on a law enforcement aspect or on the social services end of the spectrum. If you end up working as a probation officer you will be in charge of supervising people who have been placed on probation.
However, as a correctional officer you will be responsible for watching over individuals who are in jail. Should you end up working as a correctional treatment specialist you will be in charge of creating plans of rehabilitation for individuals when they are on parole. Keep in mind, the roles of these three occupations often overlap in the real world. Should you decide to pursue the law enforcement end you should be prepared to possibly need more specific training for the area that you choose to follow. For instance, as a police officer you can choose to specialize to work as a harbor police. Find the best criminal justice degree programs below.

It is most common for individuals to pursue a Bachelor of Science degree with a concentration in criminal justice, which will provide students with a solid knowledge of the basic fundamentals of our judicial system. As previously mentioned, you can choose an area of concentration based on the specific area you plan to work within; this choice will influence the courses that are required. Within this four year course of study you can expect to take classes such as criminal justice ethics, crime and criminology, judicial process, juvenile justice and delinquency, criminal law, introduction to policing, research methods and statistics, and introduction to corrections. Take a moment and check out the schools shown on the site; if you see any that particularly interest you request that they send you a free information packet.
With your formal training or degree program in criminal justice there are many avenues that you can choose to pursue. For instance, within the law enforcement spectrum you could choose to work as a game warden or as an officer who specializes in handwriting identification. The employment possibilities are quite numerous will your degree in this broad field of study. Be sure to read about all the possibilities for your criminal justice career.

Careers in Criminal Justice

Corrections Officer – The average salary for correction officers not including pensions are $43,750 ear year and the industry is expect to grow over 18% over the next 10 years. You can always look into becoming a probation offers as well where you’ll assist those who were just released from jail and try to keep them going down the right track. You can become a role model and assist those who are released with job search and even interview help. Becoming a correctional officer does require less training and often you can get your training with a certificate program and earn some additional training from the state you wish to be employed in. To become a police officer it is recommended to earn at least your Bachelor’s degree before applying to the academy. Police officers make between $45,000 to $85,000 per year depending on your city and state. California, New York, Florida and Texas have some of the highest paid police officers. There are currently over 427,000 correction officers with an average yearly job opening of over 11,890. This number is higher than then average number of positions available in the industry. Crime Scene Investigator – The need for trained crime scene investigators in the US has increased and the industry is expect to grow by 19% over the next 8 years. In school you’ll learn how to properly collect evidence at a crime scene as well as interview possible witnesses. Salaries range from $42,000 to $72,000 per year. Many end up earning the title as crime scene technician, evidence technician or forensic investigator. Currently the US has over 100,000 crime scene investigators. The number is based on the current administration and the state’s budget. Fire Science – One of the biggest advancements in fire science isn’t due to technology but education. For those who wish to become a fire fighter you can earn your Associate degree and start preparing for all the necessary tests. During your training you’ll study fire codes, EMT basic training and fire and rescue. Only 12,270 fire scientists are in the US and less than 500 job openings come up each year. With an average salary of $59,000 many choose to become fighter fighters giving them a better chance of employment.Homeland Security – After 9/11 the US took part in what would be a massive training and hiring strategy to protect our air, sea and land against terrorists but oversee and at home. The issue we faced was we didn’t have the proper training in place due to the massive number of people the US Government needed to hire. Cyber security has evolved and is now one of the ways we protect our interests. For the entry level positions at TSA you only need a certificate program in homeland security. Higher end positions and in management it is recommended to earn your Bachelor’s degree in homeland security. Over 22 federal departments make up homeland security with a quarter of million employees and a yearly budget of over 40 billion dollars.Law School – Many who want to enter law school start out as graduates with a criminal justice degree. Although not a requirement for acceptance, having a Bachelor’s degree shows the law school you have what it takes.
Private Investigation – Earning your certificate in private investigator is easy and some criminal justice certificate programs can train you to become one. It is not necessary to earn your Associate’s degree if this is the career path you want to take. Unless you work for the police department most jobs are hourly. One of the great things about this career is that the US has over 40,000 PI’s, many that were self-taught.Paralegal (Legal Assistant) – If you want to get involved in criminal justice but don’t want to commit to a full 4 year degree you can start with your legal assistant certificate and even earn an paralegal Associate degree. The average salary of a paralegal is over $50,000 and there are over 270,000 currently in the US and this number climbs by 3-4% each year.DEA Agent – Fight the war on crime and drug coming into the US. Learn how organized crime works and be on the front lines in stopping the flow of illegal drugs into the US. Due to the low number of DEA agents it is a hard sector of the government to get a job in. It is recommended that you become a police officer first to gain training before attempting to submit to becoming a DEA agent. The pay is about the same as an officer.

Criminal Justice Courses Taught in College

It depends on the level of education you want to obtain but below are just some of the more common areas of study you’ll cover in schoolCriminology – With your certificate program you’ll get an introduction to the criminal justice system and its current state. Courses focus on theories including social and psychological theories and the different types of criminality in the US. You’ll also learn about the philosophy of punishment within the correctional institutions. Practical & Technical Skills – A lot of what you’ll discover and learn about during your Associate’s Degree in Criminal Justice focuses around critical thinking and decision making skills. Communication skills are stressed so are sociology courses. Students will learn about and explore social life within different cultures, races and ethnicities. You’ll cover and get introduced to constitutional law that is covered under the US Bill of Rights including the process of search and seizure.Criminal Justice Ethics – Learn and understand different ethical situations as well as reasoning within the criminal justice system. During your Bachelor’s degree in criminal justice you’ll learn about how to properly conduct research using data available as well as how to prepare reports. During your final semester you are typically given a capstone project giving you a chance to show what you have learned and how to apply your knowledge in a mock real-life situation. Homeland Security – All degree levels cover some form of course in homeland security however when you enter into your Master’s degree you’ll start to learn more about homeland security and you can even major in this area of study. You’ll get a full understanding of all emergency and crisis management concepts including those in communications and resource allocation. Learn how to be prepared for a crisis or emergency including strategic planning concepts.